The Biggest Threats to San Francisco Bay in 2016

Jan 20, 2016

What’s ahead for San Francisco Bay in 2016? Here are the top pollution threats Baykeeper foresees in the year to come, plus ways we’re fighting to stop these threats.

Oil Spills. The large number of container ships and oil tankers on San Francisco Bay create a constant risk for oil spills. Baykeeper has been the lead nonprofit advocating for stronger controls to prevent oil spills before they happen, and to ensure cleanup measures are in place in the event of a spill.

But now the oil industry is upping the risk, by pushing to ship millions more barrels of oil to the Bay Area for processing and export. If the oil industry gets its way, tanker traffic on the Bay would increase. Dirty and explosive crude oil would also be shipped into the Bay Area by rail, much of it in tank cars not designed for volatile substances. Train tracks used for shipping oil run along the Bay’s shore and through local communities. An oil train derailment in the Bay Area could cause a major disaster.

But in a recent victory, Baykeeper helped stop a crude oil storage facility proposed for the Pittsburg shoreline. The facility was a key component of the oil industry’s strategy to expand oil refining along the Bay. This year, Baykeeper will build on this victory, and work to stop all planned Bay Area oil refinery expansions.

Coal. Those railroad tracks that run through local communities and alongside San Francisco Bay are the site of a second major threat to the Bay’s health in 2016: coal pollution.

Developers are proposing to open shipping terminals in Oakland and Vallejo. Coal would be shipped in by rail, and exported to foreign countries. The coal would arrive in long trains of open cars, shedding toxic dust and pieces of coal. Coal could also be spilled into the Bay during the loading of ships.

Coal contains arsenic and other toxins. Coal dust pollution can have effects that range from asthma in kids to interference with fish reproduction. It’s a dangerous pollutant that doesn’t belong in the Bay or our communities.

Baykeeper has joined with Sierra Club and other organizations to keep coal pollution out of the Bay and local communities. We’re advocating for Oakland and Vallejo city leaders to prevent the export of coal from their cities. Coal export is stalled for now, and we won’t quit until it’s stopped for good.

Trash and contaminated runoff. Whenever it rains, trash and other contaminants like pesticides, oil, and grease wash into San Francisco Bay, and into creeks and rivers that flow to the Bay. This is a major source of Bay pollution. City governments are legally required to reduce this pollution, but they’re making little progress.

Baykeeper conducted a two-year investigation that showed that among Bay Area cities, San Jose has some of the highest levels of trash and other contamination washing into creeks and the bay. We sued San Jose under the Clean Water Act, to get the city to stop the pollution. We are now negotiating with San Jose city leaders to help them develop effective pollution controls, including measures to collect and re-use storm water to help ease drought during dry periods, and contain flooding during heavy rains.

Baykeeper is also challenging a weakening of the rules that require Bay Area city governments to keep trash and other runoff pollution out of San Francisco Bay. It’s critical that cities take action to rein in this widespread source of contamination to the Bay.

Toxic industrial pollution. Another rainy-season pollution threat to the Bay is runoff from Bay Area industrial facilities. Rain falls on outdoor industrial areas, picks up contaminants that include toxic metals and petroleum hydrocarbons, and flows into storm drains. The storm drains empty into creeks that flow to the Bay, or into the Bay itself. Industrial runoff can harm fish, other Bay wildlife, and people who spend time on or in the water.

Baykeeper lawsuits have required 30 highly-polluting industrial facilities to install controls to protect the Bay from toxic runoff. During 2016, we’re going to ensure that these facilities follow through with effective pollution controls. With more rain having fallen and heavy rains forecast for the months ahead, this will be a critical year to ensure that industrial facilities meet their requirements to stop contamination from runoff.

Biggest threat of all. The biggest threat of all would be if no one cared enough to try to stop these threats to the Bay. You can keep that from happening. Click here to support Baykeeper’s work to protect San Francisco Bay from pollution in 2016.

Related Content

Making Waves at 35: Our Local Wins Made a National Difference
In celebration of our 35th year of defending San Francisco Bay, each month we’re sharing a significant victory that we’ve won together, and highlighting how it’s still making waves today. Pesticide...
thumb
Happy Anniversary!
Guess what?! This year marks Baykeeper’s 35th anniversary defending San Francisco Bay from polluters and government agencies—and thanks to your generous year-end support, our team is off to a running...
Keeping an Eye on the Bay
It’s the holiday season, and I’m grateful we can reflect on the past year with a smile. Your support has enabled Baykeeper to keep an eye on the Bay and defend it from the biggest threats. And that...
Join us to hold polluters accountable and defend the Bay DONATE NOW >